


Flames of Rebirth

by helioform



Category: One Piece
Genre: Gen, One Shot, Rebirth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-03
Updated: 2018-03-03
Packaged: 2019-03-26 07:39:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13853112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helioform/pseuds/helioform
Summary: Everything surrounding the once 21 year old pirate was cold. There was no heat, no light, nothing.Just the cruel darkness.It had been like this for quite some time, actually. His last moments in his brothers arms, finally releasing the tears he had been so adamant to hide for all those years, thanking his family and friends for loving him until the very end. After he hit the ground, there was nothing. No sound. All the warmth- even the burning pain of his chest, was zapped from his body entirely.And God was it so damn boring, Ace thought to himself.





	Flames of Rebirth

Everything surrounding the once 21 year old pirate was cold. There was no heat, no light, nothing.

Just the cruel darkness.

It had been like this for quite some time, actually. His last moments in his brothers arms, finally releasing the tears he had been so adamant to hide for all those years, thanking his family and friends for loving him until the very end. After he hit the ground, there was nothing. No sound. All the warmth- even the burning pain of his chest, was zapped from his body entirely.

And God was it so damn boring, Ace thought to himself.

Sure, he’d thought over the concept of the afterlife. Who hadn’t? Either you’d go to some haven in the clouds, be burning in eternal damnation, be reborn, etcetera. To be honest, burning in Hell would probably be better than his current situation. He died believing there was one sliver of hope of him seeing Sabo again, but nope! Just an empty plain of darkness.

His mind drifted (as it always did) to Luffy. He had left his brother broken- he knew Luffy wouldn’t take to his death well. With Sabo, at least Luffy wasn’t there to see it. There was nothing they could’ve done. 

But Ace had been an idiot. He allowed that damn mutt to stop him from running. He ruined everyone's hard work. 

He just couldn’t turn away from a fight.

For a moment, Ace floated in the darkness. A feeling bubbled within him, causing him to tilt his head slightly. That was new. What-?

A voice echoed through the dark, but it was too muffled to even make out clearly. For a moment, the world around him burned to life, flames licking throughout the building he seemed to be in. The heat roared through Ace’s body- and for a moment, Ace felt alive. The flames were clear to see, but everything else was blurred beyond belief. And in that moment, everything vanished once more, leaving him in the dark. 

Ace shouted for hours, wondering what it was he felt. He tried to move, tried to find something, but there was nothing. All that he had viewed was gone, and Ace wasn’t even sure if it’d ever return.

Once more, the man returned to his previous state. Floating in the inky black space, he continued flicking through his past, reminiscing the days of when it was just him, Luffy, and Sabo.

Time passed oddly in this place. It felt as if years had ticked by, but soon the fire returned. Now, it burned for a bit longer. It wasn’t as blurry, either. With enough time to peer at his surroundings, Ace realized with a jolt that he was in the ocean. Deep, in fact. He flinched out of reflex, but nothing occured. The flames built up around him, and he turned his head slightly in time to see a body fly past him in the corner of his eyes. 

There, standing before him, was Luffy.

The world was dark once more.

Ace could only stare at the point where Luffy once stood. While his brother had not grown in height, hadn’t even really changed much of his outfit, there was still two big changes. The look in his eyes, as well as the massive x-shaped wound that displayed itself across his chest. 

A burn.

Ace could only wonder where his brother got such an injury. Logically, it was made by Akainu. The only way a wound like that would stay on Luffy, with his rubber body, was if something even hotter than flames had struck him.  
How long has it been? Months? Years? Surely, not a decade. Even with Luffy’s childish appearance, there was no way he’d remain that young looking. Not in the slightest.

Instead of taking a glimpse into his past, Ace allowed himself to think of the future. What was his crewmates doing without him? Did Oyaji and the other commanders make it out okay? 

Matter of fact, how many of his friends died that day.

Once more, the world burned bright. And once more, Luffy appeared before him. His fist was black, striking an individual Ace had never seen before. Flames flew and spat from both his brother’s fist, as well as the individual’s back. Ace only watched in awe, eyes widening at the sight. Luffy was using his technique! Sure, Ace had never used armament haki with his hiken, but that was, without a doubt, Ace’s signature move.

Now, when the darkness returned, Ace had even more things to think about. How had his brother accomplished this?! He was a rubber man, and no one could have two devil fruits. Was it possible, in Ace’s final moments, he managed to pass on some of his own fire into Luffy?

A few more times- scattered, never consistent in length- Luffy appeared using this technique. Ace enjoyed the moments while it lasted. Brief glimpses of his own brother, still alive. He hadn’t died. Akainu didn’t catch him. With these visions, came the warmth and heat he remembered and missed so dearly. 

The flames of life.

The next time flames burst around him, Ace had expectantly peered for Luffy. He found himself hovering high above a coliseum, fractured and damaged. There were people below, scowling at the very sight of the fire. Had Luffy joined a fight? Not odd, considering his brother’s enthusiasm when it came to sparring, but still strange. A voice snapped him out of his pondering, however, and Ace turned to view the unfamiliar person.

“Ow, it’s hot! I really can generate a fire!”

The world seemed to slow down, and Ace felt confusion roil inside of him. Who was this? What-

The Mera Mera no Mi.

Ace knew immediately what happened. So, rebirth was it? He was reborn as the flames of his own devil fruit? Great. Now he’d have to watch some stranger brag about being the one to eat his fruit. 

Though, there was something about this stranger that felt… familiar.

“No, it’s just my imagination! It’s not hot! I am fire now!” The blond proudly proclaimed. Ace vaguely noted the pink haired girl in the man’s hold, but his mind did not allow him to drift his attention from the blond. Where? Where has Ace seen this man?

“Ace!” 

With this, Ace started with surprise. Could the man see him?! But the blond showed no knowledge of Ace standing before him, his ghostly form flickering with what appeared to be fire. Then why-?

“I’ll take over your ability!”

Huh?

With a proud cry, the word “Hiken” left this mans mouth. The fire built up, before blasting itself towards the arena.

Blond. The waviness of the hair felt familiar to Ace. As if he’d personally seen it more than once. A long time ago. The amber-brown gaze that focused down below, how it shined due to the flames. The scars felt strange to him, however. Those weren’t there. His mind screamed at him to just remember. There was no way-

Sabo?

He was alive?

He was ALIVE!

When the darkness returned, it really did not last long. After what felt like only minutes, Ace was once more brought to the world of the living. 

Rather than violent flames, he was but a small wick. A tiny flare, just barely existing. But it was with this vision he learned. Sabo had survived the Celestial Dragons attack. But it had a consequence. Sabo was marred with burn scars, and he had no recollection of his past- of his brothers. All he knew is he couldn’t return to Goa.

So he lived with the Revolutionary Army, training amongst them, and gaining new friends to call his own. He climbed the ranks swiftly, which caused Ace to smirk in pride. It suited Sabo, after all, he and Luffy had done the same.  
It was then, that he learned how Sabo remembered him and Luffy. It was too late. The memories only came back after the Marine’s published his death in the newspaper. 

Through this, Ace even learned a bit of information about his crew. Oyaji had died, killed by that disgusting traitor Blackbeard. The rest of the Whitebeard Pirates went into hiding. He hoped they were safe.

He watched as Sabo said his goodbyes, not sticking around for Luffy to wake up. While he understood why, Ace still felt a bit of anger at losing a chance to see Luffy overwhelmed with the joy of learning he isn’t alone. But Sabo did not extinguish the flame like Ace expected him to. He walked, allowing it to dance amongst his fingertips. Ace watched in curiosity.

“Ace.” Sabo spoke, his voice but a whisper. “I only hope you can see me now. I hope you approve of me inheriting this power. I hope you’re proud of me- of Luffy too.”

And if Ace could reply earnestly, knowing his brothers would hear him, Ace would knock their heads and call them idiots.

Of course he was proud.

**Author's Note:**

> uuuuuuuuu i really love the concept that luffy does inherit ace's flames too, and that thats why red hawk can generate flames. i also like the concept that ace was reborn as these flames, as well as the fire from his devil fruit. Let Him Be Happy With His Brothers Oda


End file.
